Regarding Lias’s bloodline breakthrough, Leon had long been prepared.
He had specially built a separate room for Lias in the basement, where he had someone inscribe a high-tier magic array to shield her presence.
To outsiders, the excuse was that she had gone home to visit her family.
He just didn’t know how long Lias would sleep this time.
The little succubus seemed very uneasy about leaving Leon alone, and before falling asleep, she held Leon’s arm, chattering on and on with endless instructions.
“Now that there’s no one to cook, you have to remember to eat.”
“And your clothes, you probably won’t have time to wash them, maybe you should hire another maid.”
“The bed… you’re not allowed to let anyone else warm it, got it!”
“When I’m asleep, don’t miss me too much… Actually, go ahead and miss me, just don’t forget about me…”
The girl pouted, her voice growing softer and softer.
Only when she felt the bloodline within her body reach its critical point did she reluctantly release his hand and softly whisper, “Take care of yourself, stupid Leon.”
“Mm.”
Leon nodded lightly and reached out to stroke the girl’s head, quietly watching as her eyelids slowly closed and she slipped into slumber.
Leon quietly exited the Secret Chamber, carefully locking the heavy door behind him.
When he returned to the softly lit living room above, a figure was already waiting.
“All set?”
A voice came from the living room.
“Yes.”
Leon looked at the middle-aged man before him.
The construction of this basement, of course, owed much to the help of Duke Sereites.
“This might not be a bad thing for you either. Now you can fully devote yourself to research. The Stealmage Potion has already started to spread throughout the Empire. Once you develop the High-Tier version, you’ll be able to rise to the top of the Empire with ease.”
“Even those above Tier 7 will owe you a favor!”
Duke Sereites changed his tone, leaning in with some doubt, “But, why won’t you reveal the last ingredient?”
Leon silently opened the Potion Codex beside him, his fingertips tracing the yellowed pages without answering.
Seeing this, Duke Sereites wisely stopped asking, and instead reminded, “By keeping the potion in your own hands, you’re also making enemies. You’ll easily attract grudges from those with ill intent.”
Leon raised his head, his gaze as calm as a deep pool.
“Would they dare kill me?”
Duke Sereites was taken aback, then burst out laughing.
“Haha! Of course not! As long as they haven’t figured out that final ingredient, no one will dare lay a finger on you!”
At this, he finally understood Leon’s thinking, and left the residence in good spirits.
Leon quietly withdrew his gaze, returning it to the book.
During the days of Lias’s slumber, Leon became even busier, spending almost all his time in the Laboratory prepared for him by the association.
The only exception was his steadfast habit of returning home each evening to spend a little time in the basement.
As the year’s end approached, the city grew increasingly festive.
The customs here were much like those of his previous life—during the New Year, a grand ceremony would always be held.
Unfortunately, Lias wasn’t by his side this time, and so Leon lost interest as well, simply burying himself in his work in the Laboratory.
The following year, Leon was summoned by Solaris I.
The Earl’s title that had been promised to him was finally conferred a year later, along with a small piece of Territory.
Leon temporarily entrusted the Territory to Duke Sereites for management.
Though it was called a Territory, in reality, the emperor had given it to keep Leon under his watchful eye. The abilities Leon had displayed demanded his attention.
In recent years, the development of potionology had almost been pushed forward by Leon alone, and the value of potions was becoming increasingly evident.
With the distribution of the Stealmage Potion, low-tier professionals began springing up like mushrooms throughout the Empire.
If a potion to enhance magical aptitude was developed, the Empire’s future would be unstoppable!
One year later.
Leon walked out of the basement.
Lias had not yet awakened—this time, her sleep seemed even longer than before.
As the value of the Stealmage Potion became more and more apparent, more eyes were turning to him.
Leon gradually reduced the frequency of his visits to the basement, from once a day at first, to once every three days, and then to once a week.
Fortunately, he still had the backing of the Potion Association, so there was no real danger.
Duke Sereites’s daughter often came looking for Leon to ask about Lias’s condition, but Leon always found some excuse to brush her off.
As for that old fox the Duke, seeing that Lias was still not waking, he even started trying to push Leon and his daughter together.
Leon felt a bit helpless and simply moved into the Laboratory full time, throwing himself into his potion research.
Four years passed.
Lias still hadn’t woken, and Leon’s research hit a bottleneck—not only with the High-Tier Stealmage Potion, but also the Elixir of Immortality. Both were at an impasse.
Another four years went by.
On this day, Leon finally completed his research on the High-Tier Stealmage Potion.
The entire Potion Association erupted in celebration—after all, this was a potion that could affect those above Tier 3, and its value was self-evident!
“Leon… how many bottles of the High-Tier Potion can you produce now…”
President Pace of the Association trembled as he held the faintly glowing violet potion in his hands.
Leon, rubbing his throbbing temples, the dark circles under his eyes clearly visible, replied, “At most… three bottles a year. Also, it’s only significantly effective for Tier 7s—the effect drops off sharply for Tier 8s.”
“That’s enough! More than enough!”
Pace was overjoyed, his beard trembling with excitement, “For those high-tier powerhouses, even the smallest improvement could be the key to surpassing their peers!”
Carefully, and with a probing tone, he brought up the subject again: “Then, about the last… the final ingredient…”
Leon cast a faint glance at the old man.
Pace immediately shut his mouth, grinning awkwardly, “I’m being too nosy.”
“Still, there are many Title-level experts in the Empire stuck at Tier 7, and they’re all wealthy. They’ll be desperate to reach the next tier. Why not put this bottle up as the final item at an auction and use it to stir things up…”
Leon listlessly waved his hand, his voice heavy with exhaustion, “You all handle that. I’m going home to get some sleep.”
“Yes, yes, get some rest.”
A group of old men escorted Leon out of the room, their ingratiating smiles making for a comical scene.
Leon dragged his weary body back to his empty, chilly home.
Years of accumulated exhaustion washed over him like a tide; all he wanted was to collapse into bed.
Yet, as he passed the entrance to the basement, his steps suddenly faltered, as though tripped by invisible strings.
A faint thought pierced through the heavy fatigue:
“It’s been a while since I checked on her…”
He slowly turned around, his fingers brushing the cold lock, and pushed open the door leading downstairs.
In the basement, the red-haired woman sleeping on the bed seemed to hear the approaching footsteps.
Her long lashes, like butterfly wings, trembled faintly.